A method and a device for controlling an internal combustion engine are disclosed by the German Published Unexamined Application DE-OS 37 23 024 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,548). It likewise describes a device for controlling an internal combustion engine in motor vehicles which contain at least one microprocessor. Multiple variants of data records are stored under various retrieval codes in at least one first memory device. Under this prior art, the addresses of the individual data records must be known and stored in a so-called vector field.
In addition, devices and methods are known whereby the complete data record or portions of the data record are programmed in at the end of the manufacturing. The inherent disadvantage of these known devices is that means must be provided for selecting the correct data record on the basis of the stored addresses where the data are stored.
It is desirable in this case to be able to use one control unit for a plurality of vehicle variables. This would make it possible to simplify the stocking of the control units. It should be possible to select the appropriate variables after the control unit is installed in the vehicle. Thus, it can be provided, for example, for vehicles of one type to be equipped with manual transmission or with automatic transmission, with or without an ASR (traction control system). Furthermore, different rating classes can also be variables.
Because an identifier code is stored at a defined location of each vehicle-specific data record, it is possible for the data records to be arranged arbitrarily in the physical memory. To access the data during later operation, e.g. to modify them, one simply needs to know the identifier and not the address in the memory.
Furthermore, mix-ups can be ruled out, particularly in customer service. Also, for a later generation of control units, it will be possible to store the data records at different addresses.